One asteroid after another was transformed, inscribed, and then sent into orbit around the red dwarf. Xiang Qian had deliberately divided the complete pattern into sections, inscribing only part of it each time so he could distinguish the function of each line.
The Gem Force Field operated on principles vastly different from any field of study on Earth. It was more like the magical patterns of legend. But the knowledge systems of the two mystic forces Xiang Qian had encountered, Kunlun and Kamar-Taj, contained nothing like it.
Xiang Qian wanted to fully understand the principles behind the Gem Force Field, not merely follow instructions by rote. For now, he could only start from scratch with this clumsy method.
"Energy resonates within certain lines, and the resulting force field captures even more energy and draws it inside. These lines provide the initial push needed to activate the force field," Xiang Qian thought silently as he took notes.
"Although it can absorb most types of energy, it absorbs thermal radiation most efficiently. If thermal radiation provides the initial push, activation takes at least half as long as it would with other energy sources. It also stores energy as thermal radiation within a fixed range of frequencies. No wonder this gem manifests as the ability to control fire... Hmm?"
Immersed in his exploration and discovery, Xiang Qian was suddenly jolted by a power that made his heart skip a beat. He looked up sharply and fixed his eyes on a corner of the shadowy void, his expression grave.
A powerful outsider's soul had resonated with his own, and was trying to break into his mental domain.
A dazzling spot of light suddenly appeared in Xiang Qian's field of vision. Bright points spread outward, and the expanding glow gradually took the shape of a phoenix with outstretched wings. A figure emerged within the light.
Xiang Qian relaxed.
The light faded, revealing a graceful Western woman. Her long hair was fiery red, and her features were sharply sculpted, like a marble statue. They gave her an air of striking, cold danger.
The red-haired woman looked to be in her thirties. For a remarkable woman, it was the perfect age to unite inner and outer beauty, radiating allure from within. When her gaze settled on Xiang Qian, her almond-shaped eyes shimmered. Though she said nothing, she exuded a beguiling, lover-like charm.
She was Phoenix, Jean Grey, a member of the X-Men and one of the world's best-known Mutants.
"Jean, what brings you here?" Xiang Qian's smile was tender with affection.
Jean's voice was firm, but when she spoke to Xiang Qian, her tone softened. "Am I not welcome?"
"How could you be?" Xiang Qian flew toward her, closing the distance until they stood well inside the bounds of normal social etiquette. "I'm just surprised. When did you become able to resonate directly with my soul—and enter my mental domain on your own?"
Jean smiled. "I can't do it alone. The Professor is helping me."
"The Professor." Xiang Qian's gaze flickered. "So he helped you open a door—in my mind?"
Jean caught the note of suspicion in his voice and couldn't help giggling. She wrapped her arms around his neck. "Don't worry, you suspicious little man. Didn't the Professor tell you? Your brain waves are too powerful and unusual for anyone to probe your thoughts, not even him. He only located you, then used the frequency of the mental resonance left behind from the last time you brought me in to send me here. I couldn't get in without your permission."
"Not necessarily. I've always thought bald old men couldn't be trusted. They're both brilliant and lawless." As Xiang Qian basked in Phoenix's embrace, he wrapped his arms around her slender waist. "More than one person has said that Professor Xavier is utterly shameless when it comes to probing other people's thoughts."
When he said "brilliant" and "lawless," Xiang Qian automatically switched from English to his native language.
Jean's beautiful eyes widened in surprise. "How strange. I knew you were speaking your native language, but I could still understand you perfectly—even the less than flattering part."
"Honey, did you forget? We're in a world of souls and thoughts." Xiang Qian gave her soft waist a fond squeeze. "Here, we communicate directly through our thoughts. The movements you see and the words you hear are actually impressions formed by your subconscious, shaped by the familiar ways we interact in the real world."
Xiang Qian placed one hand over Jean's heart. "Actually, every word we speak comes from within and passes straight into the other person's mind. The voice you hear is your subconscious taking shape to match the habits you've developed in the real world."
Jean pinned Xiang Qian's hand against her chest, her smile coy. "So you're saying that your actions are just something I imagined, and you didn't actually do anything?"
"Ahem... In a way, I didn't. I only thought about it here in my mind." Xiang Qian shamelessly left his hand where it was. "Even our appearances in the mental world are conjured by our subconscious. If you look closely, you'll see that these are the ideal versions of ourselves in our subconscious—but they're different from how we look in reality."
Xiang Qian looked Phoenix up and down with a grin. "You haven't realized it yet, but your hairstyle and clothes are probably your favorites. I bet they're different from what you're wearing in reality."
Only then did Jean notice what she was wearing. She let out a surprised little gasp. "You're right. I didn't notice last time."
"Last time?" Xiang Qian wore a mischievous, peculiar grin. "That's because the subconscious is often tied to reality. The state you're in when you enter the domain has a strong influence on your subconscious. I remember that last time you came in, just like in reality, you weren't wearing..."
"James!" Jean called out Xiang Qian's English name, mortified.
"I was only trying to give an example you'd experienced firsthand," Xiang Qian explained solemnly. "It's only natural that you didn't notice the subconscious at the time. If I remember right, you were feeling rather... wild? Okay, okay! We were both pretty wild..."
Jean was so embarrassed and flustered that her face felt ready to catch fire. She wanted to summon the Phoenix Force and burn the little man before her—and this entire Soul Realm—to ash.
Jean pinched Xiang Qian's palm hard and pouted, "So what differences do you think there are between me here and me in reality? One's real and one's reality—which do you like better?"
"I can't tell the difference, honey." For an ordinary man, it was a question with only wrong answers. For a Playboy, it was a gift. "Real or not, your charm is always one of a kind."
Seeing the love and desire swirling in Jean's eyes, almost overflowing, Xiang Qian quickly steered the conversation back on track. "You said the Professor sent you to find me? Wait, did the Professor look through your memories from the last time you entered the domain? Does that mean he saw everything that happened then—both in reality and here?"